Timing of Touch - the dress and recordings

[sup_fan]

someone recently posted on FB one of the several pics of MJC posing outside for some candid pics and Mary is in her Touch gown. by the looks of the pics, these were taking very early in the timeline for the new grouping.

Also Mary wore her Touch dress backstage while at the Copa - posing with Flip and Glen. i'm assuming this was the April 70 engagement

she was wearing the outfit in early 70 and the track wasn't recorded until Feb 71.

so that brings about my question - i wonder when Frank started working on the song? seems like he was interested in using Mary's voice more. wonder how they went through the development process?

[RanRan79]

so that brings about my question - i wonder when Frank started working on the song? seems like he was interested in using Mary's voice more. wonder how they went through the development process?

In regards to Mary, I think both Frank and Smokey heard something they liked and thought they could work with. But I don't think there was ever any question that Jean was the lead singer. As much as was "promoted" then and since, that the post Diana Supremes were a return to this equal group thing, I think it only applied to the structure, as in FDM, but it was once again a group with a lead singer and two backing vocalists. I don't think any producer was going to focus too much beyond Jean. Now had they jumped shipped with Lynda when they "should" have, I could see that changing. But as long as Jean was in the group at Motown, she was going to be the focus, with Mary getting the obligatory lead every once and again. But look what happened when Jean left. The Hollands came in, who supposedly were always fans of Mary's voice, and they definitely made sure she had a "proper" amount of leads. It's just unfortunate that Mary didn't luck up on producer chemistry post Supremes, aside from GD.